I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of beverage containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a liner for a drinking glass.
II. Description of the Related Art
It is common for a consumer of a liquid beverage to place ice pieces into a drinking glass to cool the consumer's beverage of choice, thereby enhancing the drinking experience. However, as the beverage within the drinking glass is imbibed, the ice pieces often slide along the wall of the drinking glass from the bottom toward the rim as the drinking glass is tilted. When the ice pieces reach the rim, the consumer is presented with the annoyance of having the ice pieces striking the consumer's mouth. Sometimes, particularly when the level of the beverage within the drinking glass nears the bottom, the ice pieces can form a weak bond with the drinking glass wall. In this circumstance, the ice pieces can break free from the wall as the consumer sips from the drinking glass. This, in turn, can result in an unanticipated and overwhelming amount of beverage at the consumer's mouth, thereby potentially causing a slightly embarrassing moment for the consumer.
Also, the ice pieces, especially crescent-shaped ice from typical domestic automatic ice dispensers, can entrap a portion of the beverage, particularly when most of the beverage has been removed from the drinking glass. Often, the consumer must undesirably maintain the drinking glass in a tilted position for an inordinate amount of time to allow the beverage to drain from the ice pieces.
U.S. Patents issued to Swing (U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,063), Rupe (U. S. Pat. No. 2,690,064), Gaines etal. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,049), Langston (U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,050 and Macaluso, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,533) show various devices which are placed into a drinking glass to block ice from coming into contact with the mouth of the consumer. Commonly, these devices are placed proximate the rim of the drinking glass and extend perpendicularly from the wall of the drinking glass toward the longitudinal axis thereof. Swing and Rupe show devices which extend fully across the opening of the glass, comparable to a lid having a small port. Gains et al. and Langston show devices which extend partially across the opening of the drinking glass a sufficient distance to block the ice. Macaluso, Jr. shows a device which clips to the rim and projects a guard downwardly into the drinking glass to form a protected volume in which ice and/or other floating solids are prevented from penetrating.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,084, Rodges describes an ice guard having a arcuate base portion which is inserted into the glass. As shown in FIG. 2 of this patent, the base portion does not have a mesh. Rodges again teaches the use of a blocking device located within the glass proximate the rim which extends across the opening to block the ice.
Marks et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,338 describes a splash retarding vessel having a center core, cylindrically shaped device for preventing splashing of liquids contained within the vessel. This is a baffling device and the patent does not suggest that ice, or any other solid, is prevented from sliding along the wall toward the mouth of the drinker.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,129 issued to Fitz Gerald describes a baby nurser. The baby nurser has a pair of sections which are pivotally mounted to each other at the bottom to form a bottle that supports a flexible, plastic container generally utilized with nursing enfants. While engaging each other, the two sections form a cylindrically shaped bottle which has reticulated panels serving as vents. The walls of the baby nurser are rigid and the vents are provided strictly to provide access to the atmosphere from the interior of the bottle. As a child draws the fluid from the container, the container collapses, thereby preventing air from entering the child's stomach.
Stuhmer in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,028 describes a ice holder incorporated within a beverage container. This device is basically a sealable, perforated bag that receives and retains ice.